Featured Reviews

St Johns Road Barossa 2016 Shiraz and 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

14 July,2017

St Johns Road was established by Martin and Vivien Rawlinson
in 2001 to make authentic Barossa Valley wines.
The brand is now operated by Phil Lehmann, Jonathan Hesketh, Dale Wyman,
and a number of Barossa winegrowing families who took over on Martin’s
passing. Phil Lehmann, Charlie Ormsby and
James Lienert are the winemakers, and the fruit is sourced and tended by viticulturist
Warwick Murray. The wines are high
quality bottlings that continue the Rawlinsons’ vision of expressing the
Barossa, its sub regions, varieties and styles.
www.stjohnsroad.com The wines are
distributed in New Zealand by Federal Merchants. www.federalmerchants.co.nz Here, I review the new 2016 ‘Blood &
Courage’ Shiraz and 2015 ‘Line & Length’ Cabernet Sauvignon.

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

St Johns Road ‘Blood & Courage’ Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016

Syrah from Australia – South Australia

18.5/20

Very dark, deep, near impenetrable black-red colour, with
slight purple hues on the rim. The nose
is full with ripe aromas of black plums and berryfruit aromas with notes of
liquorice, chocolate, hints of eucalyptus, and spicy, cedary oak, unfolding a
hint of toast. This is deep and rounded
and well-concentrated. Full-bodied, the
palate has deep and concentrated flavours of ripe black plums with liquorice,
chocolate, and layers of spice and cedary oak with nuances of eucalypt. The fruit is rich, sweet and harmoniously
presented, and supported by fine-grained, supple tannins and integrated
acidity. The flavours carry with good
drive and energy to a sustained finish.
This is a sweetly rich fruited Shiraz with flavours of ripe dark plums
and liquorice with spices and cedary oak on a supple, harmonious palate. Serve with slow cooked beef and lamb dishes
over the next 7-8+ years. Fruit from the
‘Kalleske’ and ‘Schutz’ family vineyards as well as from the estate ‘Hill South
Block’ of the ‘Ressurection’ vineyard, Ebenezer, fermented to 14.5% alc., the
wine aged 10 months in 10% new 300 L hogsheads.
18.5/20 Jul 2017 RRP $29.99

St Johns Road ‘Line & Length’ Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia – South Australia

18+/20

Dark, very deep, black-hued garnet red colour, a little
lighter on the rim. The nose is well-proportioned
with very good depth and intensity, with aromas of ripe blackcurrants entwined
with mint, menthol and eucalypt, along with mint chocolate and balanced, cedary
oak. Full-bodied, the palate has intense
flavours of ripe blackcurrants and cassis liqueur melded with layers of menthol
and mint, dark herbs and nuances of eucalypt, unfolding spicy oak
elements. The fruit is supported by positive
extraction with fine, grainy tannins to form an elegant, concentrated
core. The palate has good, fresh
acidity, and the wine carries to a long, lingering finish. This is an intensely flavoured Cabernet
Sauvignon with blackcurrant, cassis, mint and menthol notes on a finely proportioned,
grainy-textured and structured palate. Match
with roasted lamb, beef and venison, and semi-hard cheeses over the next 6-8+
years. Fruit from Merv John’s Valley
Floor vineyard, Light Pass, and Phil Lehmann’s Eden Valley plantings, fermented
to 14.5% alc., the wine aged 12 months in mainly 2 and 3 y.o. French oak
barriques. 18.0+/20 Jul 2017
RRP $29.99